Modern dishwashers typically include a wash chamber where e.g., detergent, water, and heat can be applied to clean food or other materials from dishes and other articles being washed. Often an upper rack assembly is disposed close to the top of the washing chamber and is used to hold glasses, cups, and other small items. Typically, a lower rack assembly is positioned near the bottom of the chamber and a certain distance below the upper rack. This provides vertical clearance to place articles such as dishes and platters on edge (i.e. a vertical orientation) and to place food preparation bowls and pots up-side-down on the lower rack for washing.
Each rack normally is supplied with an array of spaced apart, generally vertical tines or members, which support and separate the individual items. Preferably, these vertical members support and fix the position of various articles during the washing process. More specifically, it is desirable to position an article, such as a dish, so that water and detergent can access all surfaces during cleaning while also preventing movement of the dish that could lead to breaking, chipping, or other damage.
Conventionally, water containing detergent, rinse water, and/or other fluids are sprayed onto the dishes by rotating spray arms positioned proximate to the racks. Such fluid is fed to the spray arms from a main supply conduit located at the rear of the dishwasher. During operation, the flow of water exiting the arms also provides for the rotation of the arms.
Typically, the mid-level spray arm assembly is attached to the bottom of the upper rack and provides for a spray of fluid to articles in both the upper and lower rack assemblies. In order to facilitate the loading and unloading of articles for cleaning, the upper rack can be mounted on wheels or otherwise provided with features that allow the upper rack to be readily moved in and out of the dishwasher. Such movement, however, creates challenges for consistently supplying fluid to the mid-level spray arm assembly.
More specifically, the mid-level spray arm assembly usually includes a conduit that is connected to the main supply conduit positioned at the rear of the dishwasher. As such, this conduit must be repeatedly connected and disconnected from the main supply as the upper rack assembly is moved in and out of the dishwashing appliance. If this connection is not properly established each time the upper rack assembly is pushed back into the appliance, fluid will not be supplied to operate the spray arm assembly and incomplete and/or inefficient cleaning of the articles in the appliance may occur.
In addition, in order to provide flexibility in accommodating articles of different sizes into the upper and lower rack assemblies, frequently the upper rack assembly may be height adjustable. For example, the upper rack can be lowered to allow larger items in the upper rack or raised to allow larger items in the lower rack. Such changes in the vertical position of the upper rack further complicates the task of consistently reconnecting the conduit of the mid-level spray arm assembly with the main fluid supply conduit located at the rear of the appliance.
Accordingly, a conduit for connecting a spray arm assembly with the main fluid supply in a dishwashing appliance would be useful. More particularly, a conduit that can allow for adjustments to the height of a rack assembly while providing for repeated connection and disconnection with the main fluid supply conduit would be beneficial. Such a conduit that can be readily adapted to existing designs for the rack assemblies of dishwashing appliances would also be particularly useful.